Friday, February 19, 2010

Yes yes, I thought I would be the one person who gives credit to Brodeur today (including having his name in the headline) for stopping all of the shootout attempts by the Swiss last night; as opposed to everyone who will be, "Oh, Sidney Crosby this" and "Sidney Crosby that"... "Let me bend over for you Sidney".. "Let me go on my knees for you Sidney"... "Sidney, oooooooh Sidney..." (Ok, I went too far..)

Yes, he scored the shootout winner. And yes, I was as relieved as the next guy when he did. And yes again, I am very proud of him as both a hockey fan and a Canadian. But don't forget, he missed his first shootout attempt. Mario Lemieux would have scored on both attempts! Gretzky would have requested not to be selected to shoot, so at least Sidney showed he had more guts than "the great one". (Yeah, I said it!!)
This isn't really about Sidney Crosby, he's a good kid, and a very gifted hockey player. (He still hasn't proven to me that he is better than Mario yet... That still remains to be seen).

This is about the Canadian Media being so blindly dying for a new Mario or a new Gretz, that they put Sidney on a pedestal, no matter what happens..

Now, as a Canadian, I love Sidney as well. But at least I give credit when credit is due. In the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, it was Malkin who was the hero, not Crosby. But if you looked at the headlines and the discussions in the media during the Pens' playoff run, there was barely any mention of Malkin's heroics.. It was either Sidney is a hero, or Sidney was oddly invisible in last night's game. Nothing in regards to Malkin.

Still today in the media you hear things like "Sidney Crosby carried the Pens to their Stanley Cup victory last year", even though it was Malkin who won the Art Ross (most points in the season), and it was Malkin who won the Conn Smythe (Playoff MVP).. And don't feed me that crap that everyone was covering Sidney, and that's why he couldn't score... Tell that to the people who broke Mario's wrist purposely to stop him from scoring one year, as no matter what they did to cover him, they couldn't stop him... And he still won the Art Ross and Conn Smythe those years..

[And remember, that was with the clutching and grabbing still in effect (which Mario had been fighting against his entire career, and with it's removal, has now opened up the game for players like Crosby to shine). Not to mention as well that Mario did it without the solid protection and super allstar team that Gretzky had during his prime.]

Anyway, long story short (and to save this 'greatest hockey player ever' debate for another time), last night's shootout truly was the Brodeur show, and I want to give him credit first, before I give Sidney his credit; because had Brodeur let in 1 goal (like how Sidney missed his first shootout attempt), it would have been the Swiss who won last night's game, and not Canada.

--jackandcokewithalime

PS: I'll admit though, when they chose Sidney to shoot again, I felt so relieved... And that look of anger and redemption that he had in his eyes before he went for the 2nd attempt.. That was awesome! You see, I give credit where credit is due.

PPS: Did you like the shootout selections by Team Canada?? I was expecting moreso of a Sidney Crosby, Dany Heatley and Jerome Iginla set for the first three... Maybe I'm crazy..

PPPS: Patrice Bergeron is a faceoff GOD!!!!

PPPPS: Nash was a freakin' hero last night, crashing into Hiller and making things happen!!